Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,105 in Medias versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,692 in Medias versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Medias versus $2,988 in Bucharest.

Living in Medias costs roughly 17% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medias is 18% below, Bucharest is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.24 RON 55.3

$13.58 RON 61.4

-9.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 RON 231

$68.1 RON 308

-24.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 36.55

$8.05 RON 36.38

0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.60 RON 16.26

$3.40 RON 15.36

5.88%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.97

$2.32 RON 10.50

-14.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 RON 9.35

$2.38 RON 10.74

-13.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 RON 14.46

$3.54 RON 15.99

-9.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.24

$4.01 RON 18.14

-15.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.07

$1.74 RON 7.88

-22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 RON 5.80

$1.42 RON 6.42

-9.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.91

$1.93 RON 8.73

-9.33%

Eggs

$3.38 RON 15.28

$3.54 RON 15.99

-4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 RON 38.35

$9.27 RON 41.90

-8.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.02 RON 31.72

$7.13 RON 32.21

-1.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.01 RON 54.3

$12.28 RON 55.5

-2.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.29

$1.35 RON 6.11

-13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.14

$1.74 RON 7.86

-9.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$1.76 RON 7.98

-9.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 RON 11.01

$2.40 RON 10.83

1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.33

$1.05 RON 4.72

-8.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 RON 4.86

$0.96 RON 4.35

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 RON 4.32

$0.92 RON 4.15

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.50

$0.91 RON 4.09

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 RON 26.49

$6.38 RON 28.82

-8.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 RON 40.20

$6.45 RON 29.16

37.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.97

$1.22 RON 5.51

-9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.73

$1.98 RON 8.95

-13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 RON 2.97

$1.16 RON 5.27

-43.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.56 RON 88.4

$19.48 RON 88.0

0.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 RON 3.50

$0.72 RON 3.25

6.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.39

$0.62 RON 2.79

20.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 RON 31.85

$6.94 RON 31.35

1.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.68

$1.71 RON 7.75

-13.45%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.0K RON 126.7K

$29.0K RON 131.0K

-3.29%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.7K RON 125.3K

$30.3K RON 137.0K

-8.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$166 RON 750

$178 RON 803

-6.59%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$7.94 RON 35.89

$9.16 RON 41.40

-13.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.81 RON 39.82

$11.12 RON 50.3

-20.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.27 RON 191

$54.7 RON 247

-22.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.88 RON 85.3

$29.04 RON 131

-34.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 RON 31.51

$9.27 RON 41.92

-24.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$441 RON 1,992

$677 RON 3,060

-34.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,656 RON 30.1K

$14.9K RON 67.2K

-55.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 RON 305

$79.8 RON 361

-15.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.33 RON 196

$45.29 RON 205

-4.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 RON 438

$89.2 RON 403

8.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 RON 439

$109 RON 493

-10.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 RON 1,789

$662 RON 2,992

-40.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 RON 1,312

$432 RON 1,953

-32.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 RON 2,707

$1,355 RON 6,126

-55.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 RON 1,972

$841 RON 3,802

-48.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,631 RON 7,374

$3,857 RON 17.4K

-57.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 RON 6,710

$2,305 RON 10.4K

-35.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

7.1

8.45%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medias: May 30, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $396 in Medias and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $51.0 in Medias vs $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $233 per month, with Medias cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medias vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medias and Bucharest differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,105 vs $1,336 including rent). Medias is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,658 in Medias and $2,004 in Bucharest to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $396 in Medias versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,105 per month in Medias versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medias runs roughly 0% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,105 in Medias versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medias but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Medias the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medias and Bucharest are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medias gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.